NADO’s research has shown a trend in executive director retirements, which is not too surprising given the sheer number of baby boomers that are considering retirement in the near future. As today’s executive directors start to plan for their departure from their organization, there is a class of deputy or assistant directors in the wings ready to take on the challenges and opportunities that leading an RDO presents. This presentation by Dr. Monica Scamardo during the 2015 NADO Annual Training Conference was designed to help emerging executive directors (those that have held the position for three years or less as well as those deputies that are gaining the needed experience to run an RDO) identify the characteristics of a strong and successful executive director and help them develop a strategy for assuring they become one in the future.